The present invention relates to a treatment or control of oil production in skin; i.e., oily skin. Specifically, compositions for suppressing sebum production in skin (e.g., seborrheic skin) and minimizing glycation in skin (e.g., mature skin) are described. In particular, the present invention relates to a composition containing a skin benefit agent that includes Lithospermum erythrorhizon. Also, methods of suppressing sebum production in skin (e.g., seborrheic skin) and minimizing glycation in skin (e.g., mature skin) by applying a composition to the skin, wherein the composition comprises an effective amount of a derivative of Lithospermum erythrorhizon are also described.
The skin is rich in sebaceous glands and is continually renewed. The secretion of sebum is a normal phenomenon that is useful to both the skin and the head of hair. It is a natural product of the sebaceous gland, which is an annex of the pilosebaceous unit. It is, essentially, a more or less complex mixture of lipids. Sebum's normal function is to moisturize the epidermis. Also, sebum protects the skin and the scalp and gives the hair sheen by lubricating hair cuticles.
Unfortunately, a hypersecretion of sebum, or seborrhea, may lead to aesthetic disorders. Thus, an excessive secretion of sebum may result in oily skin with a shiny or glistening appearance. Hypersecretion of sebum may also promote the appearance of an oily dandruff condition of the scalp or oily dandruff. Oily skin, or seborrhea, is estimated to represent greater than 10% of younger populations (& >25% in China) within industrialized societies. Although sebum provides a very low level of UV absorptive function and moisturization, excessive oil production can foster a breeding ground for bacteria proliferation, clogged/enlarged pores, irritation and formation of acne lesions. It may be accompanied by an increase in pore size. For example, psychological stress, fatigue, onset of adolescence, hormonal fluctuations, sleep deprivation, high glycemic diet, and high humidity environments may be factors that intensify these conditions in the majority of people. Among the population having oily skin, some subjects may have endocrine disorders, acne vulgaris, or neurological disorders, or are obese. It is also possible to find adolescents, people suffering from excess hormones (in particular male hormones—androgens), menstruating women or menopausal women who have oily skin.
Also, in some conditions, such as, e.g., dermatosis (including seborrheic dermatitis), oily areas of the body, such as the face, upper chest and back are affected. More specifically, seborrheic dermatitis is a common, chronic, relapsing disease or condition of the skin presenting with dry or greasy scaling of the scalp, hairline, forehead, chin, nose, upper cheeks and nasolabial folds, sometimes accompanied by itching. In more severe cases, yellowish to reddish scaly pimples appear along the hairline, behind the ears, in the ear canal, on the eyebrows, on the bridge of the nose, around the nose, on the chest, and on the upper back. Seborrheic dermatitis can also be referred to as “seborrheic eczema” or “seborrhea.” Typically, seborrheic dermatitis presents with scaly, flaky, itchy, and red skin. It particularly affects the anatomical sites of the skin in which sebaceous glands are dominant, such as scalp, face, chest, back, and ears. In adolescents and adults, seborrheic dermatitis usually presents as scalp scaling or as redness of the nasolabial fold.
As people age, proteins in the body can become damaged through the introduction of advanced glycation end products (AGEs)—one of the key factors in aging of the skin. The more sugar a person eats, whether processed or natural, the more AGEs are produced. The proteins in skin most prone to glycation are the same ones that make a youthful complexion so plump and springy—collagen and elastin. When those proteins hook up with renegade sugars, they become discolored, weak, and less supple; this shows up on the skin's surface as wrinkles, sagginess, and a loss of radiance. The presence of AGEs also makes the complexion more vulnerable to bad-news assailants such as UV light and cigarette smoke. When the body is overwhelmed with AGEs, collagen becomes compromised. Effects of the glycation process at the cellular level of the skin's structure may result in wrinkling, loss of elasticity, loss of volume, stiffness, accelerated aging and compromised barrier function. Other conditions that appear when microcirculation is damaged and cell turnover slows include a loss of volume in the face (particularly under eyes and lips) due to redistribution of fat.
Topical sun protection is one of the most important steps that consumers can take to prevent the premature signs of aging on the skin. With the massive shortage of globally compliant UV filters, and more particularly UV A—higher wavelength actives), the cosmetic industry is in dire need for better technology with UV absorptive and/or boosting function.
Therefore, a need exists to overcome these problems by providing compositions and methods for treating oily skin, conditions associated with oily skin, and facial applications providing the additional benefit of minimizing glycation in mature skin. Moreover, additional topical skincare applications leveraging natural colorants that target facial sites which are anatomically thinner such as periorbital, eyelid or lip care treatments are desired by the cosmetic industry at large. These anatomical sites often present with higher sensitivity, dehydration, loss of volume and early, visible signs of aging.